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The Alliance Party is amused and, quite frankly, confused, to hear John Key repeatedly refer to a possible Labour/Greens coalition as a “far left” government in the media these days.

Key bases his assessment on their new power policy which would see a government provider buying all the power from generators. However Key should ponder the fact that the state owned all aspects of power generation and the distribution of electricity right up until 1999. And no one ever described the Holyoake and Muldoon led National governments of this era as “far left” because electricity was state owned.

Not that being a “left wing” party is a bad thing. For the majority of New Zealanders, having a genuine “left wing” coalition government would be very good indeed. Continue reading →

The Alliance Party is pleased that Labour Party leader David Shearer has pledged to reduce the price of electricity if elected next year, and looks forward to details about how this will be achieved. Continue reading →

Prime Minister John Key says that the sale of our electricity companies is on again. Good news for the wealthy few Mums and Dads with enough spare money to invest, bad news for the rest of us. Ever-increasing power price hikes are all most families have to look forward to. Continue reading →

More New Zealanders will go cold if the National Government is allowed to sell shares in our power companies.

Providing New Zealanders with affordable and reliable electricity would be secondary to providing shareholders with the maximum return on their investment. The asset sales plans have understandably met with massive opposition from New Zealanders.

Now these plans have been delayed, and are looking even more shaky and shonky.

This is the time to make sure that asset sales, including our power companies, are stopped for good. Continue reading →

The government says domestic power prices will not rise steeply if shares are sold in the three publicly owned power companies, but can they guarantee it? And what if they are wrong? This has the Alliance Party worried, according to co leader Kay Murray.

For the Alliance Party the Mixed Ownership Bill is a case of ground-hog day. The Alliance was formed to fight the privatization agenda of the 1980′s and 1990′s. “We find it profoundly depressing that this government is determined to repeat the failures of the past,” said Co Leader Kay Murray. Continue reading →

Support Equal Pay for Aged Care Workers

Equal Pay Act and Aged Care Workers

Dear Mr Ryall and Ms Goodhew

I urge the government to tell the Aged Care Association and Terranova Homes and Care Ltd not to appeal the ruling of the Employment Court on the application of the Equal Pay Act to the wages of aged care workers.

Unfortunately because this work has largely been performed by kind hearted women, care workers are amongst the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. Care workers pay rates do not reflect the value of the work performed nor do they reflect the value society should place on our elderly receiving the best standards of care and attention.

The Employment Court ruling will change aged care for the better. It is a landmark decision and cause for celebration.

I accept that current funding levels may not be adequate for organizations to comply with the Employment Court ruling. However this is a separate issue that needs to be addressed by the government in purchasing agreements with aged care service providers. It should not be used as a reason to appeal the ruling.

New Zealanders have made it clear they want our elderly to have the best of care. I feel they would have no issue with the government paying the increased costs out of taxpayers funding if it meant aged care workers received the pay they deserve for the valuable work that they do.

Sincerely,

[signature]

This petition is now closed.

End date: Feb 28, 2014

Signatures collected: 58

Poll

We believe the power companies sold by National will have to be brought back into public ownership by the next government. How do you think this should be done?